


On My Love

by krazieLeylines



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Mermaids, Omega Verse, cameos from other characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 13:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21734779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krazieLeylines/pseuds/krazieLeylines
Summary: Yuuri was born a rare male omega. He must spend the first eighteen years of his life in the communal area with the other beta and omega merfolk. Yuuri is taught to love and fear alphas in equal measure. But when he meets on young alpha — Viktor Nikiforov — at the age of twelve, there is no fear.There is only love.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 5
Kudos: 83
Collections: The Yuri!!! on Ice Secret Santa - Edition 2019





	On My Love

**Author's Note:**

> This is a secret santa present for tumblr user zenphoenixa! I hope you like it~
> 
> Happy Holidays!

For convenience’s sake, here are some of the main differences between the dynamics in this AU:

Alpha mermaids: bigger, stronger, thicker skin, sharp teeth, shark-shaped tails, bright warm colors, only can mate with omegas, can only be born from alpha/omega pairings, responsible for guarding territory

Omega mermaids: bioluminescent freckles/markings to light way for babies who are still developing sight, pastel cool colors, sweet smell, dolphin-shaped tails, can only be born from beta/beta pairings but rarely, responsible for babysitting

Beta mermaids: neutral colors, ability to camouflage, long eel-shaped tails, excellent reflexes, presence neutralizes alpha/omega hormones, can only be born from beta/beta pairings, responsible for hunting and gathering

And now, on to the story...

—

Yuuri was born just as the tides grew cold, on the brink of winter. He was the second child of the mated beta pair Toshiya and Hiroko Katsuki. The first child, Mari, had been a typical birth. A silver-brown tail, just like her mother. A beta, like her parents.

Yuuri was different. His scales were a shimmering, sapphire blue, dotted with white bioluminescent freckles shining like constellations down the entire length of his body. His tail was like that of a dolphin’s, with a paler underbelly, and thin, near-transparent fins. He didn’t possess the camouflage ability of his parents and sister. In fact, he was biologically built to stand out, to draw everyone’s gaze. That is to say, he was an omega. A rare male omega.

From his birth, Yuuri enjoyed certain privileges over most other mermaids. He wasn’t nearly quite as revered as an alpha, of course, but no one was as revered as an alpha. 

That was how mermaid hierarchy worked. Male alphas were at the top, followed closely by their rarer female counterparts. Female omegas were next. Then the male omegas. At the bottom were the betas, which were so populous that they outnumbered the four other groups nine to one. 

And so, when the younglings were fed, Yuuri and the other omegas got first pickings. When it came time to sleep, Yuuri got to curl up somewhere in the middle of the pile, where he enjoyed the warmth of his nest companions from all sides. While the beta younglings went through intense hunting and foraging practice drills, Yuuri and the other omegas received singing lessons. 

Truly, it was a cozy childhood. 

—

The alpha younglings were fed and raised separately, closer to the surface, by their omega mothers, instead of communally. The first time Yuuri met an alpha, he was twelve years old. 

It shouldn’t even have happened. Yuuko — his best beta friend — had dragged him outside the colony’s territory to show him a rare find. 

“You’ll love this,” she was telling him, as they rounded a tall wall of coral.

She was right. The second Yuuri’s eyes fell upon it, he was in love. Yuuko’s surprise was a hidden cove, columns of sunlight piercing through the water and dotting the sea bed with golden glitter. 

“Check this out,” Yuuko said, and began to sing.

The acoustics— Yuuri found himself gasping. Yuuko’s voice, mediocre but still pretty, bouncing off of the rocks, echoing the sweet music all around them. 

“Sing something for me,” Yuuko implored.

Yuuri blushed. Though shy, he was quite proud of his singing ability. His Aunt Minako — the omega voice coach — was not one for flattery. So when she called him her top student, he knew that he was good. 

“Okay,” Yuuri agreed sheepishly, “What song do you want to hear?”

Yuuko hummed. Her long tail curled underneath her, making it appear like she was sitting, though of course she was still just hovering in the water. “How about... _On My Love_?”

Yuuri found himself blushing. That was one of the courting songs, meant for an omega to serenade their soulmate. It was also his favorite courting song.

“Okay,” Yuuri agreed, twiddling his thumbs. He was encouraged to practice courting songs, so that when the day finally came for him to perform for his desired mate, it would sound as perfect as possible. Still, doing so always made his stomach flutter. 

He took a deep inhale to steady his heart, and then he sang:  
_  
Cross my fins, and hope to die,  
Trust me dear, for I don’t lie,  
I swear to thee, on my love,  
On my life, on stars above,  
Till my death, with you I’ll stay,  
Till my death, to never stray,  
This I swear, on stars above,  
On my life, and on my love...  
_  
Yuuko squealed with delight when Yuuri finished the first verse. But just then, her joyous expression vanished. Her eyes fixed at something — or someone — over Yuuri’s shoulder.

Yuuri immediately flew behind his friend, fearing the worst. What predator had found them?

“Alphas...” Yuuko greeted, giving a formal bow at her waist. 

_No,_ Yuuri thought in despair, _That’s even worse!_ He shuddered, and buried his face into his friend’s shoulder.

The voice that returned Yuuko’s greeting, however, sounded surprisingly young.

“Yuuko,” it said. The voice was masculine but musical. “That’s your name, isn’t it? And who is your friend?”

Finally, curiosity overcame fear. Yuuri peeked out from behind Yuuko.

There was not one alpha, but two! The elder of the duo was indeed around their age, maybe a year or two older. His tail was the most magnificent shade of magenta, with a lighter pink underbelly, and only a few, not too deep scars. The other alpha was still just a kid, with a few light black stripes over orange-gold scales. The kid’s tail was unblemished, unsurprisingly, since he was too young to be fighting off predators. Their facial features were similar, their hair grown long, decorated with thin braids. The kid was blond, but the elder alpha had hair the color of starlight.

Yuuri was suddenly obsessed with that hair. It reflected light like nothing he had ever seen. 

“You remember me?” Yuuko sounded pleased. She couldn’t help but preen under such a handsome boy’s gaze. “Oh, and this is Yuuri! Yuuri, this is Victor and Yurio.”

Yuuri lifted his face a little higher. He tried to smile, but it was wobbly. 

“Yuuri.” His name sounded like a prayer on the older alpha’s tongue. “Were you the one singing just now?”

Yuuri’s smile vanished. The alphas had heard him? His throat burned, but he forced himself to keep a neutral expression. If he was blushing— well, he didn’t have any control over that.

Yuuko, however, seemed tickled pink. “It was,” she told them, “Doesn’t Yuuri have the most beautiful voice?”

“Not beautiful,” Yuuri muffled his half-hearted protest into Yuuko’s shoulder.

But Viktor was enthusiastically nodding his head. “He really does have a wonderful voice,” he agreed without any shame or restraint, “It’s clear that he practices a lot. Yuuri must be quite the romantic to practice so dutifully.”

Yuuri tried to decide whether or not he should feel offended.

“You won’t tell anyone, will you?” Yuuko asked suddenly, “Yuuri’s not supposed to leave the designated communal area yet, but I dragged him here, because I wanted to show him my little hideaway. He almost didn’t come, but I begged him. Please don’t inform any adults. It’s my fault.”

The kid finally spoke up for the first time. “If you didn’t want to get in trouble, you shouldn’t have brought him here in the first place,” he grouched, “But don’t worry. We’re not tattletales.” 

Viktor clicked his tongue, apparently amused by Yurio’s response. “Don’t mind my kid brother,” he told them cheerfully, “We break rules all the time.”

“You break rules all the time,” Yurio corrected, “I just tag along so you don’t end up in some human’s fish stew.”

The easy, playful dynamic between the brothers allowed Yuuri to smile again. He finally extracted himself from his hiding place so the alphas could see him and talk to him properly, if they so chose. 

Viktor’s stunning neon blue eyes sparkled. “Ahh! Yuuri, you have such beautiful scales!”

Yuuri resisted the urge to fuss with his hair like a lovestruck fool. He allowed the alpha to admire his shimmering sapphire tail, though he refused to look at Viktor’s face as he did so.

“I’ve seen better,” Yurio said flatly.

_Well, I’m not trying to win your admiration anyway,_ Yuuri thought to himself. Then he realized that meant he _had_ been trying to win Viktor’s admiration, without being consciously aware of it, and blushed furiously. Apparently, his omega instincts ran deeper than he thought possible.

“Don’t mind Yurio,” Viktor said, “He has no taste.”

Yuuri didn’t know what to say to that. He suddenly wished to return home, before he made a fool of himself in front of this unusually handsome alpha.

Yuuko, good Yuuko, seemed to sense his spike of anxiety. She took his hand and nodded to the brothers.

“Thank you for keeping our secret,” she murmured demurely, “Yuuri and I should head back now. If we stick around any longer, they may notice we left.”

It may have been a trick of the light waving through the water, but Viktor looked momentarily disappointed. 

“Of course,” Viktor returned, bowing his head just slightly. “I will see you later, Yuuko. And Yuuri,” he added, pausing meaningfully, “it was nice to meet you.”

Yuuri squirmed under Viktor’s gaze. “Y-you too,” he stammered pathetically.

Mercifully, Yuuko pulled Yuuri away before he could embarrass himself any further. They swam quickly back towards the communal area, their fingers locked in a tight, gleeful grip. 

—

At fifteen, Yuuri was expected to start babysitting. It wasn’t a skill that came to him naturally. Then again, nothing came naturally to Yuuri. If he was good at anything, it was because he worked hard and devoted a lot of time to practice.

Still, he felt like a failure compared to the other omegas. Even Christophe, who was the least omega-like among their age group, took to their new role with ease. 

“Come now,” Aunt Minako said. She took the squealing infant from Yuuri’s arms and rocked her until she fell silent. “You don’t have to quite so delicate with her. She’s not made of glass, you know.”

Yuuri hung his head and listened.

“Where are you looking? Watch what I’m doing,” his aunt scolded, “Babies need gentle pressure to feel secure. Don’t be afraid to restrict their movement. It’s not like they can swim yet, anyway. They’re just testing out their limbs, figuring out how everything works.”

Yuuri watched the baby flex her fingers, like she was trying to grab something. He held out his own pointer finger to her. She took hold of it instantly.

“Look at that,” Yuuri said, amazed. He was surprised by the infant’s strength. 

“See? At this age, she needs physical reassurance that she’s not alone. It’s hard being a baby.” Aunt Minako cooed at the small face, forgetting Yuuri for a moment as she pet the baby’s soft head. “She can’t take care of herself. She can’t do anything but wiggle and make noises. Imagine how scary that must be.”

Yuuri can imagine it, actually. He thinks of how powerless he is, to be born without the ability to defend himself from predators or hunt for his own food. He doesn’t have the sharp fangs and tough hide of an alpha, nor the quick reflexes and camouflage abilities of a beta. He must rely on the betas for his every meal. He must trust the alphas to keep his home safe. Without them, he could not survive. Yuuri has long since made peace with this truth. 

“I understand,” Yuuri said gravely. He could see the infant clearly now. “Hand her over to me.”

Aunt Minako grinned triumphantly, and did as he requested. 

—

The Midsummer Gala was an annual tradition that had once meant little to Yuuri. It was the one day a year that unpaired omegas were allowed to mingle with the alphas, under close adult supervision. At any other point of the year, an alpha could formally request a visit from an omega, but in order to do so, they must first learn that omega’s name. This meant the Midsummer Gala was a pretty big deal.

At age eighteen, Yuuri was finally allowed enough to attend. 

He readied himself the night before, anxiously trying on different accessories and demanding Phichit’s opinion.

Phichit was a beta with forest green scales, darker skin, and a disarmingly warm demeanor. These days, Yuuko was often busy being courted by Takeshi, a bull-headed beta that used to tease Yuuri for his belly pudge. So it was up to Phichit to prepare Yuuri for his big debut. 

“I liked the other shell necklace better,” Phichit admitted, “The one with the red and pink accents.”

Yuuri flushed and shook his head. “I can’t wear that one,” he protested, “Do you remember that alpha I told you about, Viktor? The color is too similar to his scales.”

“So? Don’t you want to catch his attention?”

Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut. 

It had been six years since he had met Viktor, and yet Yuuri still dreamed of him and his starlight hair. Since then, Yuuri had kept his ears open. The betas and older omegas, who had debuted last year, talked of Viktor often. Simply put, Viktor was well loved. It was said that he was the strongest and most beautiful of the bachelor alphas. More importantly, though, he was charismatic and gentle. He never lost his temper, at least not in front of others. For his notorious chivalry, he was fondly referred to as a prince. 

“I don’t want to look desperate,” Yuuri finally answered. He didn’t tell Phichit that he didn’t stand a chance of capturing Viktor’s heart. There were too many other beautiful omegas to choose from. Besides, who knew if Viktor even liked men in the first place?

“There’s bound to be more than one alpha with a magenta tail,” Phichit pointed out, “No one is going to assume you wore it for Viktor specifically.”

“Of course they are,” Yuuri argued, “Everyone is trying to catch Viktor’s eye, specifically.” 

“Then one more pining omega isn’t going to make a difference.”

Phichit had a point, but Yuuri didn’t want to admit it aloud. Instead, he just exchanged the necklaces with resolute silence. 

“There,” said Phichit, “That’s much better. It brights out the red in your eyes.”

Yuuri startled. “I have red eyes?”

“Well, reddish brown,” Phichit amended, “In any case, that necklace looks really good on you. I’m sure Viktor will be all over you tonight.”

That phrasing brought certain images to Yuuri’s mind. He immediately shut them down.

Phichit still noticed, though. “Oh,” he teased, sounding both scandalized and gleeful, “Yuuri, what did you think just now? I wasn’t implying anything dirty!”

Yuuri immediately wanted to crawl under a rock and die. 

Phichit took pity on him. He rubbed Yuuri’s back and sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I know it’s hard being an eighteen year old omega.”

Phichit was right. It _was_ hard being an eighteen year old omega. Figuratively, and in Yuuri’s case, sometimes literally.

Yuuri heaved a deep sigh. 

—

Yuuri’s group arrived at the Midsummer Gala around noon. Excluding him, there were six other omegas making their debut. Since it was their first year, they got to swim in the front. There was Sara, the sparkly pink omega twin sister of beta Mickey, who was stubbornly escorting her to the event, and Seung-gil, a stern faced dark blue omega, and the only other male omega who shared Yuuri’s birth year. The others were all girls that Yuuri didn’t know that well. 

He was surprised to see some of the girl omegas wearing much smaller seashells for their bras than usual. In a way, though, he kind of envied them. They seemed so confident. 

Yuuri had Takeshi as his beta escort. He had asked Phichit, but Yuuko had insisted that Takeshi was bigger and stronger. Now, as they neared the large open gulf where the Midsummer Gala took place, Yuuri was glad for his friend’s interference. 

There were alphas everywhere. Their red, orange, and yellow colored tails were impossible to miss, naturally drawing everybody’s eyes. Their brightness was meant to signal danger. As if that wasn’t enough of a warning, they also had big-boned bodies and superior muscle mass. Many had prominent battle scars, which proved their capability for survival. 

Yuuri immediately understood why omegas were kept separate from the alphas for so long. He had to fight the sudden instinctual urge to flee. 

As if sensing it, Takeshi put a reassuring hand on Yuuri’s back. 

“Slow your breathing,” Takeshi advised, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, bud.”

Yuuri nodded mutely. His gaze was still fixed on the brilliant sight ahead of them. Some of the alphas had begun flexing, proudly displaying their upper body strength. If Yuuri had been in a better mindset, he might have laughed. 

“Do you see Viktor?”

Yuuri tensed, glancing over at the other omegas. They were gathered close, giggling and playing with their curls. One of them pointed out towards the alphas. “I see him! Look, over there!”

Yuuri eagerly followed her index finger.

Sure enough, her aim was true. Viktor was hanging out towards the side, chatting amicably with his younger brother. Notably, neither of them were taking part in the flex display. 

_Viktor has no need for such theatrics,_ Yuuri found himself thinking, _All the omegas are already in love with him._

But even though his thoughts were bitter, his attention was quickly redirected when he noticed that Viktor’s hair was just as long and shimmering as in his dreams. Yuuri thought his memory had exaggerated Viktor’s beauty, but it seemed that the alpha was just that attractive. 

Yuuri clutched his seashell necklace, hesitating. 

“Yuuri?” Takeshi rubbed Yuuri’s back once more, trying to soothe him. “Hey, sea to Yuuri. Are you listening to me?”

Yuuri glanced sideways at him. “That’s him,” he whispered, “That’s Viktor.”

Takeshi blinked. And then he burst into a loud, boisterous laughter. “I know who Viktor is,” he explained, struggling to speak with his mouth split open so wide in mirth, “We go hunting together sometimes.”

“What’s so funny?” Yuuri both sounded and felt like a petulant child.

Takeshi shook his head, still chuckling. At last, his moment of hysteria ended. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said, “It’s just... Yuuko told me you had a crush, but I didn’t believe her! You didn’t strike me as the kind of omega to pine over a guy you met once six years ago.”

Yuuri turned away from Takeshi. He didn’t know how to respond, emotionally or verbally. 

Finally, he said, “We’re falling behind. Let’s try to catch up.”

—

Despite all the preamble, Yuuri found himself unable to approach Viktor. The Midsummer Gala had been going on for three hours, and Yuuri had spent the entire time lurking in the sidelines. 

That wasn’t to say that no alpha had approached him in that time. Yuuri had his fair share of potential suitors.

Not all of them had been bad. Most were too hungry, though, their desperation evident in their too-large pupils. Yuuri felt less like a beautiful seductress and more like a piece of bleeding meat about to be swarmed by sharks. And so, with each new suitor, Yuuri sank further into Takeshi’s formidable shadow.

“Come on,” the beta spoke up at last, “That last girl was kind of cute. Why don’t you ask her to dance?”

Yuuri remembered the way said cute girl had licked her lips while giving his torso her undivided attention, and shivered. “No thanks,” he muttered darkly, “Besides, she’s the alpha. If she wanted to dance, she would have asked me.”

“I hate to tell you this, Yuuri, but you’ve got a shoulder cold enough to sink the Titanic.” 

Yuuri prickled (metaphorically speaking, anyway), but he didn’t try to defend himself. He knew he was uniquely unapproachable for an omega. He couldn’t help it. He hated it when other people thought he was weak, which made it hard to open up. Yuuko and Phichit had only befriended him because of their perseverance. 

It wasn’t fair to expect an alpha to be so persistent, though, not when they could pick literally any other omega. In short, Yuuri was too frigid. And frigid omegas did not get to mate.

Since Yuuri refused to talk, Takeshi sighed and fell silent. 

The two watched as the other merfolk swam in flirty circles in their pairs, only the tips of their fingers touching, as was custom. Their scales shimmered brightly. Together, all of the tails of red, orange, gold, blue, purple, and pink made a pretty picture. The colors dipped in and around one another, until they began to bleed into one big kaleidoscopic mass. 

Belatedly, Yuuri realized he was tearing up. He startled, and began to wipe all evidence of them from his eyes. 

Unfortunately, he wasn’t discreet enough. 

Takeshi noticed, and put a comforting hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. “Hey, bud, what’s wrong? Was it something I said?”

“No,” Yuuri answered truthfully. He immediately felt stupid for getting emotional. He needed to change the subject, he knew, or else the urge to cry would soon return with a vengeance. And so he said, “I’m hungry. Let’s go grab some food.”

Mercifully, Takeshi didn’t question him. He just nodded and agreed sagely, “Food. Food is good.”

—

Yuuri should have probably be ashamed of the way he stuffs his face. He wasn’t, though. All of the food at the Midsummer Gala was high quality, and the sheer variety of choices was overwhelming. Yuuri decided to have a little nibble of everything, from the seaweed salad to the still unshelled oysters. 

Takeshi was just as enthusiastic. He was a big man, with a big mouth, who took impossibly large bites. 

Things started to feel less grim. Yuuri savored all of the flavors and found his mood lifting. 

“Pssst.”

At first, Yuuri didn’t notice the noise. The buffet area was packed with people, so there was no reason to assume that the sound was directed at him. 

“Pssst. Hey you, with the blue tail.”

Yuuri paused. He had a blue tail, though of course that wasn’t uncommon for omegas. Still, he glanced around, trying to pinpoint the source.

Behind him, a familiar face glowered at him. It was Yurio, the young tiger-striped alpha. His hair was longer, and his cheeks had less baby fat, but he was still looked mostly the same. His dour expression, especially, hadn’t changed. In short, Yurio sure knew how to make a guy feel unwelcome. 

“Yurio?” Yuuri asked, unsure. 

“Yeah, you,” Yurio confirmed, “You’re that kid that sang that song that one time, yeah?”

Yuuri flushed, feeling found out despite the vagueness of Yurio’s recollection. But what if someone were to find out, all these years later, that Yuuri had snuck outside the communal area? It had probably been too long for them to receive punishment for it now, but still. The knowledge would spread, and Yuuri’s reputation would be shot full of holes. After all, who would believe that he had just wanted to practice singing in a place with nice acoustics? That bumping into a pair of alphas had been a mere accident? 

“Wow, you’re painfully still shy, huh,” Yurio said, when Yuuri took too long to reply, “Pick your jaw off the sea bed. People are starting to stare.”

Yuuri shut his mouth. And then he opened it again to say, dumbly, “It’s been six years.”

“Yes, I can do math, too,” Yurio sniped in return. Though, his edges seemed less sharp than before. Time had relaxed him somewhat. He added, “My brother has been waiting for you.”

It was said so casually, yet the words slammed into Yuuri like a tidal wave. He became breathless. 

_Viktor... has been waiting for me?_

Praying that it wasn’t all a cruel joke, Yuuri inched forward. “Really?” He murmured, “Viktor... remembers me?”

Yurio rolled his eyes. “Yuuko only talks about you constantly,” he said.

“She does?” Yuuri put a hand to his chest, in equal parts deeply moved and embarrassed beyond measure. His fingers brushed the seashell necklace. The reminder of their magenta color sent his heart racing. Would Viktor notice? Would he assume Yuuri wore it for him?

“Please, just go and put him out of his misery,” Yurio begged, “He’s been sulking all day. I won’t ask you again.”

And then he swam away.

Takeshi yanked Yuuri into a tight embrace. “Look at that!” He said, “Your luck is turning around!”

—

Viktor was indeed sulking. That was the first thing Yuuri noticed as they approached. The childish expression seemed beneath an alpha as well-respected as Viktor, but Yuuri couldn’t help but smile a little.

He had thought of Viktor as untouchable, an idol that would always be just outside his reach. With a pout on his lips, though, Viktor just... looked like a person. 

The pout vanished, though, the moment their eyes met.

“Yuuri!” Viktor rushed over, glee splitting his face from ear to ear. He was even more handsome up close. “Yuuri, you finally came to see me!”

Yuuri paused only a fraction of a second. “I did,” he answered, “I... didn’t think you would remember me.”

“Remember you from when?” Viktor gave Yuuri a deliberate wink. “I promised not to tattle, and I always keep my promises,” he explained, in case Yuuri hadn’t already gotten the joke.

Yuuri’s heart melted. “It’s good to see you again,” he said. 

“It is!” Viktor tucked some of his hair behind his ear. It was a preening gesture, one that female betas and omegas tended to use. “Yuuri, you must tell me everything that’s happened since we last met.”

“Everything?” Yuuri teased, “That’s a tall order.”

“Absolutely everything,” Viktor insisted.

—

Viktor was in the middle of telling Yuuri the fourth hilarious story about this dolphin named Makkachin he had adopted when a certain purple-tailed omega swam over. Without thinking, Yuuri moved closer to Viktor, but it made no difference.

Christophe dove right into Viktor’s personal space, with a loud, “Viktor!”

To Yuuri’s horror, Viktor returned the embrace. “Ah, Christophe,” he said, “I was wondering when you would come to pay me a visit.”

There was an easygoing intimacy between them that Yuuri deeply envied. He watched, stricken, as Chris gyrated his body, as if he was scratching an itch on Viktor’s chest. 

“I couldn’t find you,” Chris argued, putting on a fantastically melodramatic pout, “Usually you are the life of the party. I was worried about you.”

“No need to worry! I’m perfectly happy.” Viktor ruffled Chris’s two-toned locks. “In fact, I’m better than okay! Christophe, meet Yuuri. Or— well, I suppose you two already know each other.”

“Of course,” Chris purred. He eyed Yuuri, but didn’t relinquish his close proximity to Viktor. “We male omegas need to stick together, right?”

Yuuri didn’t know what to say. He felt crushed. Did Viktor already have an omega mate? That seemed impossible. Considering how many omegas wanted to mate him, the news of Viktor being taken off the market would spread faster than disease. The other omegas would be inconsolable. 

No, there was something else going on. But what?

Thankfully, it appeared that Viktor had picked up on Yuuri’s panicked expression. His face softened, and he pushed Chris gently to the side.

“Chris is my friend,” Viktor explained, “He’s mated to another alpha, he’s just naturally a flirt.”

“Yes, don’t be jealous, Yuuri,” Chris said.

“I’m not jealous!” Yuuri immediately flushed. What a childish thing to say!

Chris burst into delighted giggles. “I think someone doth protest too much,” he sing-songed, “But you honestly have no reason to be jealous, you know. Viktor has done nearly nothing but talk about you for the past six years.”

“Christophe!” Now, it was Viktor’s turn to be mortified. Yet, instead, he was... laughing?

Yuuri stared. Viktor was... not at all what he had expected. Of course, he had heard that Viktor had a playful side, that he had an unusually forgiving sense of humor... but somehow Yuuri had imagined Viktor as someone far more... refined. Someone who was prideful, perhaps.

“You...” Yuuri shook his head, trying to reconfigure his mental image of Viktor, “You talked about me...?”

“Incessantly,” Christophe added, all smug. He was leaning his elbow on Viktor’s shoulder now, but his eyes never left Yuuri’s face. “Yuuko and Viktor gushed about you nearly every day. She told us all sorts of fun stories about you.”

“Wh-what?” Yuuri was going to throttle Yuuko! Or, at least, give her a stern talking to. 

Seemingly satisfied with the chaos he had sown, Chris gave Yuuri one last wink. “You heard me loud and clear. Our friend Viktor had a crush on you! Now I’ve said my peace, so I should leave...”

And, to add insult to injury, the flamboyant omega actually bowed before swimming off, whistling a victory tune.

The two merfolk Chris left behind gaped mutely at one another.

Then, Viktor laughed again. “Ah, Chris,” he murmured, “Always the wild card. I suppose the catfish is out of the bag.” He smiled at Yuuri then, a soft one that made his eyes sparkle. “I hope... this doesn’t change anything between us?”

Yuuri’s mind ceased its functioning. Viktor... was Viktor confirming what Chris said? Viktor... had a crush on Yuuri?

At last, Viktor’s easygoing demeanor slipped. He frowned. “Yuuri?”

Yuuri shook his head violently from side to side, forcing his brain to unclog. As soon as he regained sense of his facilities, Yuuri cried out, “No!”

Viktor flinched. “What?”

“No,” Yuuri repeated, “It... doesn’t change anything. I mean, it doesn’t change the way I feel.”

Viktor’s smile returned, twice as brilliant as before. “Good,” he said, “I’m glad. I suppose, then, that there’s no need for any more subterfuge between us. I might as well come out and say it!”

Say what? Yuuri fidgeted nervously as Viktor took a dramatic pause.

“Yuuri,” Viktor continued, his voice taking on a serious edge, “I need to make my intentions clear. I wish to court you. Please... after this Gala, may I call upon you again?”

Had Yuuri died and gone to heaven? He felt his heart pounding, strong enough that he might actually die for real. Could someone die from happiness?

“Yes,” Yuuri answered, “Yes, you may call upon me!”

—

The first time Viktor called upon Yuuri, it was a request for an evening picnic. Yuuri had agreed, of course, though he couldn’t help but have one pressing question.

What was a picnic?

Yuuri had asked his friends, of course, prior to the actual date. Unfortunately, no one wished to give him a straight answer. Every friend he had asked just shook their head, chuckled, and said, “You’ll see.”

This time around, Phichit offered to act as Yuuri’s beta guardian. Yuuko had recently shown symptoms of pregnancy, and Takeshi refused to leave her side. 

Since alphas were forbidden from entering the communal area, Viktor and Yuuri had to meet up somewhere halfway. Ever the sentimentalist, Viktor had chosen the secret cove where they had met as children so many years ago. 

Though it had been a long time, Yuuri remembered the path. He took charge of leading the way, with Phichit happily trailing behind. 

It had been a little over a week since the Gala. Yet Yuuri found himself overwhelmed with relief the second he caught sight of Viktor’s glistening magenta scales. The truth was, Yuuri had missed him. 

Their eyes met. Viktor brightened, and rushed to meet Yuuri. They stopped just shy of embracing. 

“Yuuri,” Viktor murmured, “It’s so good to see you! How have you been?”

“Good,” Yuuri answered without thinking. In truth, he had been sorely missing Viktor. The week without him had been long and tedious. “What about you?”

Viktor, at least, was more honest. “I missed you,” he confessed, “I tried to wait the appropriate amount of time before calling on you, but I had so many ideas about where I wanted to bring you and what I wanted us to do together!”

Yuuri melted. How was any man this sweet and good? “We have time,” he assured Viktor.

It seemed to be the right thing to say. Viktor beamed. The brilliance of that smile could make a person blind, like staring into the sun. “You’re right,” Viktor agreed, “We have time.”

(Phichit, meanwhile, hung back at a respectable distance. He was there to observe, and ensure that they behaved.)

“Oh!” Yuuri remembered something important. “By the way, Viktor... what’s a picnic?”

But Viktor only laughed.

—

A picnic, Yuuri was to find out, involved surfacing. As the two of them swam closer to the water’s border, Yuuri began to feel weighed down by nerves. He had never breached before. He knew merfolk could breathe in the air as well as they could in water, but he had never put that knowledge to the test. Generally, only alphas and betas ventured so far to the surface.

“This picnic... we can’t do it underwater?” Yuuri asked Viktor sheepishly. 

“It would be a lot more difficult,” Viktor replied with a chuckle, “But don’t be nervous, Yuuri. Trust me. I know you’re going to love this.”

How could Viktor be so sure? But Yuuri trusted him all the same.

“Okay,” he agreed.

The lighfrom the above world was getting closer and closer. The water ended unexpectedly, Yuuri’s arms and then head breaking through without preamble. 

Everything was immediately different.

Air— it was impossibly lighter than water. He took a deep inhale, and immediately began spitting up the fluid in his lungs. It was a horrible moment, while Yuuri’s body adjusted. But then it was over, and Yuuri had never felt so light and buoyant.

The light, too— the sky was the most gentle shade of blue, intermixed with swirling white. 

And the sounds— so many sounds that Yuuri had never heard before. He couldn’t possibly name or describe them. Yet they were far from unpleasant. And they were so clear!

It was as if Yuuri had spent his entire life in a bubble, and now it had burst, leaving him reborn.

Viktor was right. Yuuri was loving it!

“Viktor!” Yuuri gasped, not realizing his voice could project so far. Everything felt so much more intense. “Viktor!”

Viktor looked over, laughing. His damp hair was pressed against his scalp, giving him a completely different look. “I told you,” Viktor teased, “I told you that you were going to love this!” Viktor’s voice even sound transformed outside of the water. It trilled more than usual, bright and airy. 

The weightlessness of the ocean was gone, yet Yuuri still felt like he was floating.

“You’re right,” Yuuri agreed. “Is... is this a picnic?”

Viktor downright giggled at that. “No, Yuuri, no.” He reached an arm out of the water. Droplets streamed down over his skin, following the curved lines of his muscles. “Look over there,” he said, “Over on those rocks.”

So Yuuri looked.

It was unfamiliar to Yuuri, so he wasn’t sure what to think of what he thought. There appeared to be a container of some kind, rectangular, and made out of wood. It sat on a layer of moss— no, a blanket— which was draped over the flat surface of the rock. 

“Is this a picnic?” Yuuri asked skeptically.

“Yes!” Viktor swam over and motioned Yuuri to follow. “Here,” he said, “You’re unused to climbing, so I’ll help lift you up.”

“We’re getting on top of the rock?” Yuuri was puzzled and a little nervous. He couldn’t imagine leaving the ocean completely. Wasn’t that how merfolk got stranded?

“Trust me,” Viktor repeated himself from earlier.

And so Yuuri did.

It took a while to get Yuuri up on the rock. Despite Viktor’s easy confidence, it took a lot of wiggling and maneuvering to get Yuuri high enough onto the rock to pull himself the rest of the way. In the process, Viktor had to grip Yuuri around the waist, and push him by the seat of his butt. In any other context, it would have been horribly inappropriate. At the moment, it just felt like a slapstick comedy.

Yuuri was gasping, crying with laughter by the time he got himself up onto the blanket. 

“Yuuri, don’t laugh at me,” Viktor pouted. 

He then jumped up on the rock with surprising ease. Just a quick circle in the water, and then— Plop! He leaped up and landed safely on the blanket in one fluid movement. It seemed so funny, with all the effort they had put into getting Yuuri up. 

Yuuri could only laugh even harder.

“Yuuri,” Viktor whined again. But his childish scowl was wavering, becoming something more akin to a smile.

“Sorry, sorry,” Yuuri said. Of course, he didn’t feel sorry at all. He smiled over at Viktor, his heart full. “Okay, so what do we do now that we’re here?”

“Why don’t you open the basket and find out?”

Yuuri raised a curious eyebrow, but did as Viktor so mischievously suggested. Inside the basket, he was met with— what? Yuuri honestly wasn’t sure. There was a whole bunch of stuff, of different colors and textures, but none of it was familiar. “What is this?” He asked.

“It’s food!” Viktor reached in and took out one of the items. “Try this,” he told Yuuri, “It’s called an apple.”

“An apple?” Yuuri repeated the foreign word. He took the item up to his lips, and opened his jaw. His first bite was too shallow, and only pierced through the first layer of skin. The taste was bitter. Yuuri scrunched up his face.

“Here, let me.” Viktor took the apple back and nonchalantly ripped it in two. He handed one half back. “Try the inner flesh.”

Yuuri hesitated for a moment, but he took another bite. Cold juice exploded in his face. But Yuuri didn’t even flinch. He was too overwhelmed by the sweet yet tart flavor, which was nothing like anything he had ever known before. Even the sensation was unique, the slightly acidic pulp making his tongue tingle pleasantly. 

“Is it good?” Viktor asked.

Yuuri answered by taking another, bigger bite.

Viktor laughed and began eating his half. The waggle of his tail revealed his delight at Yuuri’s obvious glee. 

They took time savoring the fruit. By the end, Yuuri was licking the juice off of his fingers, sad that the experience was already over. “Is there another apple?”

“No,” Viktor admitted. His entire face fell. “Ah, Yuuri, I’m sorry. I should have left the other half for you.”

Yuuri should his head. “No, no! It’s okay.” He was touched by Viktor’s concern. “I’m glad I got to share the experience with you. What other food did you bring?”

—

The hour passed, and Yuuri got to taste a variety of above-surface delicacies. Though there were a few things that he didn’t like (such as the green pepper), most of it was just as tasty as the apple. But the time the basket was empty, Yuuri’s stomach was stuffed to bloating. 

He laid back on the basket, cradling his belly. “Whew,” he sighed, “That was... so good.”

Viktor hummed, obviously pleased with himself. He sprawled out beside Yuuri, their shoulders nearly touching. “I’m so glad you liked it,” he whispered, “Yuuko told me how much you like to eat—“

“She _what_?” Yuuri hid his face behind his hands. Why would Yuuko tell Viktor that?

Viktor paused a moment. “Ah, was that a secret?”

“No, not really,” Yuuri said, “It’s just... embarrassing, I guess.”

“Oh?” Viktor shifted around so he could prop himself up on his elbows. “I found it quite endearing,” he admitted, “I like to eat, too. It’s something we have in common.”

Something in common? Yuuri looked at Viktor’s impeccably sculpted torso and then down at his own bloated stomach. 

Yuuri’s skepticism must have been all too easy to read.

“It’s true,” Viktor insisted, “Yuuri, I love to eat! I just... have a ridiculously fast metabolism. That sounds like I’m bragging, but it’s true! I have to eat a high-calorie diet just to maintain this muscle mass. Otherwise I’d waste away.”

Yuuri wasn’t sure that that made him feel any better. But... Viktor was trying.

“It does sound like you’re bragging,” Yuuri finally said. But he found himself smiling, somehow. “Though, you’ve certainly earned the right to brag.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “I mean the way every omega and beta from here to Davy’s Locker is madly in love with you.”

“They are?” Viktor blinked.

“Did you seriously not notice?” Yuuri sat up quickly, unable to believe his ears. “Viktor, you’re the alpha every mermaid and merman wants to mate!”

Viktor batted his eyelashes. “Even you, Yuuri?”

Yuuri looked away. How was Viktor so... ridiculous? Charming? Yuuri couldn’t put it into words. But also he couldn’t lie. “Yes,” he admitted softly, “Of course.”

Viktor didn’t reply. Yuuri was forced to look up, only to be met with a blindingly beautiful smile. 

“Oh, Yuuri,” Viktor said. He glanced down at Yuuri’s lips suddenly. “I want to be your mate, too,” he murmured, “Yuuri, Yuuri... can I kiss you?”

Yuuri froze. It had been drilled into him from birth: No kissing until the third date, at the very least. Omegas had to be sure that an alpha was serious before indulging in physical affection. Otherwise, they might end up heartbroken. 

Yet, Yuuri found himself answering, “Yes.”

Viktor’s sun-kissed lips were impossibly warm. It felt like nothing Yuuri had ever felt before. His mind went blank, all of his faculties shut off in favor of basking in the light of Viktor’s undivided attention. 

It was a short, chaste kiss. Yuuri found himself chasing Viktor’s lips, reflexively turning their first kiss into a second. 

Viktor wasn’t complaining, so Yuuri went in for a third. That one lingered deliciously, and Yuuri felt the hot moisture of Viktor’s breath against his face. The warmed salt and juice residue on their lips kept them momentarily stuck together, and when they pulled back, it came with a soft pop. 

When Yuuri opened his eyes, Viktor somehow looked twice as handsome as before. 

It was too much for Yuuri to handle. He turned away, not wanting Viktor to see how doomed he was, how much love and affection he already held in his heart for the other man.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Viktor said.

Yuuri paused. His thoughts were so embarrassing! But Viktor had asked, and he sounded... sad? Afraid? Did he think Yuuri regretted kissing him?

“I feel so safe,” Yuuri admitted. He kept his eyes averted, even as he bared his heart. 

Viktor put a hand to Yuuri’s cheek, stroking a thumb over his jaw, even as he stayed silent, prompting Yuuri to elaborate. 

“I feel safe... with you,” Yuuri clarified, “This is the furthest I’ve ever been from my comfort zone. But I still feel safe.”

“I’m glad.”

Yuuri finally looked back at Viktor. Their eyes met. And Yuuri saw it. All the affection and love he held in his heart... all of it was mirrored in Viktor’s eyes. 

“Yuuri,” Viktor said, his voice impossibly soft, “Will you... sing for me?”

Heat exploded up Yuuri’s neck, filling his cheeks and ears. He knew, if he agreed, they would once again be skipping five or more steps in the usual courtship ritual. Yet, in the moment, Yuuri couldn’t remember what those other steps were.

“What song?” Yuuri asked.

Viktor damn near melted. He clutched at Yuuri’s shoulders, his eyes watering up. “Yuuri, you’ll do it? You’ll really sing for me?”

“Yes,” Yuuri agreed. He didn’t say: _I’ll do anything you ask of me._

(Even if it were true, it was too shameless)

Viktor nodded, and took in a shuddering breath. He sounded _broken_, like he hadn’t imagined that he deserved this. “That song... the one you sang when we first met,” he decided, “Sing... _On My Love_.”

Yuuri smiled. “Okay,” he said, and gave Viktor a shift fourth kiss. And then he sang:  
_  
Cross my fins, and hope to die,  
Trust me dear, for I don’t lie,  
I swear to thee, on my love,  
On my life, on stars above,  
Till my death, with you I’ll stay,  
Till my death, to never stray,  
This I swear, on stars above,  
On my life, and on my love...  
_


End file.
